Coin controlled mechanism



Feb. 16, 1954 J. w. HUNSlN-GER com CONTROLLED MECHANISM Filed Dec.

INVENTOR 4 Sheets-Sheet l Jo/mazS/m ATTORNEYS J. W. HUNSINGER COIN CONTROLLED MECHANISM Feb. 16', 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 12, 1947 I I I I I I. Z I

r 5 E H N m w m m A 0 m J 5 M -w Feb. 16, 1954 J. w. HUNSINGER 2,669,336

com CONTROLLED MECHANISM Filed Dec. 12, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR- Johnathon 4/ Hum/09w ATTORNEYS Feb. 16, 1954 J. w. HUNSINGER 2,669,336 COIN CONTROLLED MECHANISM Filed Dec. 12, 1947 4 SheetsSheet 4 LE A.C. SUPPLY A m, RI, VENDOR 4 l/5v. soar. L p:

A l MACH/NE Rgj E- f l THE/M141. TIMEDEZAYRELAY E Orr/0041.

Vewomo 7? J I i MACH/NE 3 AWE/ VENDOR C C]. E

LAMP /5o/,v CHANG? ISPENSER low CHANGE A96 6 SWITCH S 4 32 C 6 I MERCHANDISE EMPTY I SW/ 7-5/4 /97 low CHANGE I Efi :SIGNAL LAMP 6 I Fig.

JNVENTOR. HUNS/NGER A TTORNE Y8.

Patented Feb. 16, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COIN "CONTROLLED 'MECHANISM Johnathon W. 'Hunslnger, Burlington, Vt., 'assignYor to Bell Aircraft Corporation, Wheatfield, N.

Application-December '12, 1947,"Serial'iNo. 791,292 2 Claims. (Cl. 194-;1'0)

This invention relates to improvements in coin changing and/or oom-controlled mechanisms; andmore particularly to improvements in electrical controlxsystems in mechanisms of the type which are adapted-to betattacheditomerchandise vending machines for automatically controlling dispensing operations thereof and for returning correct change'whenever: coins are inserted which areof greaterva'lue than the cost 'of .the article dispensed. :Also, the :invention relates to improvements in devicestsuchas maybe employed simply :for .coin changing purposes, dispensing correctly acounted smaller coins .in return .for a depositedxcoin of.;larger denomination.

..More specifically, the: present invention relates to. improvements innelectrical control:systems in coin controlled mechanisms-of the typedisclosed in my .coepending patent application Serial No. 708,520, .filed November 8, .1946, by me jointly with Frank D. Meredith, now- Patent N:o...2-,5ll,596, issued -October 16, 1951.

One of the more general objects of the invention is to provide .a zmachine of the character referred to which isso-improved compared to prior art arrangements as to provid'e failureproof and over-all smootheroperations aswellas improved speeds .of operation.

Another object of zthe-uinventi'onis to provide a v:machine incorporating :improved safeguards against: misfunctioning of the mechanism.

Another object of the invention is to .provide a mechanism of the character described which automatically operates inimproved'manner to maintain .its'change coin storage :in ready condition.

:Another object-of. the invention is to provide inla mechanism of the-character described improvements inthe coin-handlingelements. thereof,

whereby to facilitatezaccurate and uninterruptedoperdtionzof the mechanism.

Another objector uthe inventioni is to ,provide a slmplified electiieallcontrol circuit in-mechanism of the character described, .so :as to greatly creduce the amount of wiring and "the number of controlirelayswitches required to perform the control functions thereof.

.Another object of theinvention is to provide an improved electrical control system in mecha nisms of the character described, whereby the problems of assembly and maintenance of such mechanisms are greatly reduced.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved anti-jackpot protection arrangement in mechanisms 'of l the character described, to eliminate previous problems in control circuits of this type relating to critical-solenoid switch adjustments.

Otherobjects and'advantages of the invention will appear-from the specification hereinafter.

-'In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation 'of avending mechanism of the invention, with the front cover plate thereof removed;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof as viewed from the right of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section, on a larger scale, taken along line III'III of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentarysection, taken along line IV I-V of Fig. showing the change dispensermeans in one position;

Figs. M are views similar to Fig. 4 showing the coin change dispensingmechanismin other positions;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary 'front elevational View ofa portion of Fig. ion a larger scale showing the 25 centvdeposited coinchute and control elements .of the mechanism;

Fig. 8is a view takensalong line VIIIVIII of Fig. 7;

Fig.9 isiaiiragmentarytfront elevation of an alternative form-of the .-5 cent coin chute and change reservoir feed control means;

.Fig. 10 is a fragmentary section, on .a larger scale, along lineX-X of Fig. 1 and Fig. .11 is .a wiring diagram of the electrical control .system of the mechanism of Figs. 1-10.

The. invention; is i illustrated in the drawing by way ofexample .to comprisea mechanism which is assembled into extremely compact form, and housed within a casing including a back plate 2Il'which is flanged at each side forstiffening purposes as indicated at 22, and at its top and bottom as indicated .at -24-16 respectively, to provide corresponding top :and bottom sills. Thus, the back plate defin'esan open front boxlike frame which is "adapted to be bolted or otherwise mounted upon .asideior wall'portion of a vending machine'or thelike such as is to .be controlled by the mechanism of theinvention. Anysuitable iront cover plate may then be applied to enclose the mechanism.

'It is to be understood that mechanisms embodying the present invention may be constructed so as to handle any coin or combination of coinsof various denominations and to withhold anycoin or combination of coins I in: exchange for a deposited coin and/or dispensing of one or more articles to be vended. However, for the .purposes of .illus'tration-herein the mechanism of thedrawing is shown and described as being designed to receive nickels, dimes and quarters and to operate in response thereto so as to actuate an accessory dispenser control device permitting delivery of one five cent article while simultaneously returning correct change in the form of either nickels or dimes according to the denomination of the deposited coin.

The coin deposit chute is shown as a funnelshaped coin receptacle 35 fixed to extend upwardly from the top wall plate 24. The bottom end of the coin receptacle 35 is in registry with a coin slot through the top wall. 24, and thus a deposited coin is guided to fallby gravity edgewise therethrough and into the coin receiver portion of a multiple coin segregating and counterfeit coin rejecting apparatus such as may be separately assembled as a unit designated generally at 32 (Figs. 1-2) independently of the mechanism of the present invention. The device 32 may be called a coin-slug segregator unit and constitutes no part of the present invention, and is shown to be fastened in position against the back plate 29 by means of a bracket 34 for initially screening deposited slugs and coins prior to their delivery to the vending and change making control mechanism of the present invention.

Numerous mechanisms as referred to hereinabove for segregating various coins and rejecting counterfeit coins have been previously developed; and one such mechanism, for example, is currently being manufactured by National Slug Rejectors, Inc., and is described in detail in U. S. Patent 2,292,628. As illustrated in Fig. 14 of this patent, the mechanism thereof includes an arrangement involving a coin chute for discharging spurious coins and separate chutes for discharging good nickels; good dimes; and good quarters. Thus, in the present patent application the drawing herein illustrates the coin segregating and slug rejecting mechanism 32 to similarly include a slug rejection port 35 and a triple compartmented chute 38 which is arranged to discharge in parallel paths, nickels, dimes and quarters which have been tested and passed by the mechanisms interiorly of the unit 32.

The mechanism of the present invention as illustrated herein includes separate chutes 40-42-44 for receiving good nickels, dimes, and quarters, respectively (Figs. 3-7); the inlet ends of the chutes being disposed in registry with the corresponding coin discharge ports of the coin segregator 32. As the coins slide down in response to the forces of gravity through their respective chutes they push against and depress electric circuit control arms thereby energizing the accessory vending machine dispensing circuit as well as appropriate circuits for initiating dispensing of proper change.

For example, in the arrangement illustrated and described hereinafter whenever a 5 cent coin is deposited only one 5 cent article will be delivered by the accessory dispenser and no change returned. When a cent coin is deposited one 5 cent article will be delivered and a nickel will be returned. If a 25 cent coin is deposited one article will be delivered and four 5 cent coins returned. Arrangement is made whereby whenever the coin device and the vending machine have been energized by deposit of a proper coin and are in the process of an operative cycle any newly deposited coins reaching the coin segregating unit while the said cycle of operation is still in continuance will be slugged and returned directly to the customer. A more detailed description of the operative mechanisms and of the electrical control apparatus will now be furnished.

To accommodate 5 cent coin deposits the chute 40 is constructed to comprise back and front plates 4648 which are supported in parallel spaced relationship by means of edge spacers 49-49. The chute structure is shown to be of bifurcated form; that is, with one leg directed downwardly as indicated at 50 (Fig. 9) for delivery of deposited nickels into the main storage coin box as indicated at 52 (Fig. 1); the second leg of the coin chute 40 being divergent laterally as indicated at 54 for delivery of deposited nickels into the upper end of a coin change supply column 55, out of the bottom of which correct change is automatically dispensed as required in connection with deposits of 25 cent and 10 cent coins, as will be explained hereinafter.

The chute device 40 includes a curved bafile surface 56 which functions as an anvil against which incoming coins fall and are deflected thereby to bounce over into the lateral leg portion 54 so as to fall into change column 55. The leg portion 55 is vertically dimensioned so as to accommodate only two coins while in edgewise position, such as isv indicated at 58-59 (Fig. 9) whereby it will be understood that whenever the change column 55 is fully loaded with nickels in fiatwise stacked relation the next two coins deflected from the anvil portion 5 1 will be blocked by the stack of coins in the column 55 and will simply remain in edgewise position as indicated at 53-'-59. blocks the leg portion 54 of the chute device whereby the next coin deflected from the anvil 55 will strike against the coin at58 and be thereby deflected again and downwardly into the chute box 52.

Whenever a nickel is received at the upper entrance of the coin chute 45, and regardless of whichever leg of the chute 55 the coin will later follow, the coin will first press against a pivotal finger 10 (Fig. 9) which extends at its free end through a slotted portion 12 of the chute plate 46. The finger ID is pivoted at E4 to actuate the contacts of a switch Ci; the arm 70 being arranged to actuate the contacts of the switch CI whenever a nickel drops into the upper end of the chute 40 and thereby depresses the arm 15,

regardless of whether the nickel is then peri mitted to drop directly into the coin box or is diverted by the anvil to roll into the coin changer column 55. As will be explainedmore fully hereinafter in connection with the wiring diagram portion of the drawing, such actuation of theswitch Cl will energize the circuit which controls operation of the accessory dispensing machine so that the latter will deliver one 5 cent article to the customer.

As explained hereinabove, whenever a good 10 cent coin passes through the slug rejector mechanism 32 it issues therefrom to fall into the upper end portion 32 of a coin chute which generally parallels the downwardly directed leg 55 of the 5 cent coin chute. An arm extends at its free end through a slotted portion 52 of the 10 cent coin chute structure so as to engage 10 cent coins as they fall downwardly through the chute 42. At its other end the arm BB is pivotally mounted as at 34 and connected to a switch C2; 4 the arm at being so arranged as to close the v the upper. end of the.

This

portion 55 for direct delivery to the coincontacts ::of ftheswitch C2 whenever :a 10 cent coin falls through the chute .andzthereby .depresses the arm .80. will also the explained more fully hereinafter .in connection with the wiring diagram portion of the drawing, such actuation of the aswitchcCZ will simultaneously energize the article vending control circuit so that one .5 cent article will be :delivered to the customer, and at the same time vtheschange dispensingmechanism which will be .described :hereinafter will be. energizedso that :a ;5 cent .coin will be returned to the customer.

The .25 cent coin chute '4'4 also parallels .the course of the main leg of the'ch-ute v and ofzthe cent chute "42, and as shown in Fig. Taside wall portion of 'the 25 cent :chute is slotted'es indicated sat 08 toa-ccommodate the freevend .of a control finger 59-0 the finger 9 0 beingpivotally mounted as at=92 and connected foroperationaof a :switch C3. Thus, whenever a :25 cent :coin goes downwardly .into .the chute M it depresses the arm 90 and causes'the contacts ofthe switch C3 to'be closed; thereby simultaneously energizing :the dispensing machine control mechanism and :the coin change dispenser mechanism, .as will be explainedhereinafter, so that one 5 cent article and fournickels will be ejected from the coin change dispenser.

The coin changing dispensing unit of the mechanism is indicated generally at I43 and is disposed directly under the coin change column 55 and includesapair of vertically spacedhorizontal plates I42-I44 which are interconnected by posts M5. The upperplate I4.2.is apertured in registry with the bottom end of the coin column 55 so as to permit successive settling of nickels from Within the coin column through the p'late at M2. The bottom plate I44 is also apertured as indicated at its so as to permit nickels to fallflatwise'therethrough and downwardly into a change dispensing chute I150; the aperture I46 being'laterally offset out of vertical alignment with the column of coins stored the coin column 55. Thus, to be dispensedthrough the aperture I45 and'into the chute I56, coins from within the column "55 must be laterally "displace'd into the opening "of the aperture I45.

To accomplish such displacement, a pair of apertured plates I52I'54 are independentlypivotally mounted upon a pin I55 extending between the upper and lower plates l42 I'4 l. The plate I52 is pivotally connected as at I58 to one end of the armature I59 of a solenoid S3,

and the plate 152' is "apertured as indicated at I62 and is adapted to'lie either in registry with the vertical axis of the coin column 55 or with the coin change dispensing aperture M6, in response to pivoting of the plate I52 upon the pin I 56. The solenoid s3 is arranged to pull the apertured plate I52 to the right as viewed in Figs. 456 so as to disposethe coin carrying aperture I62 thercofin registry with the change dispensing aperture I46, and a tension spring I54 (Fig. l) is provided to normally bias the coin control plate I52back into registry with the coin column 55.

The coin 1 control plate I54 is slotted asiindicated at 1'58 to accommodate pivotal connection I68 with the armature I69 of a solenoid S2. A tension spring I12 connects at one end to the. machine frame andat-its other end vto a finger I14 extending integrally from the .coin control plate .154; i the :plate I55 abeing =.apertured res indicated at I1I5 .andwsmposit-ioned thatwhen the and such coins will be diverted into .lamp I 91 (Fig. 1) so as to 6 spring 112 pulls .thercontrol plate 154 :to1theileft as viewed in Eigs. :4i-:z ---a6=the coin passagezaperture II;5 in the plate I54 is in registry with "the vertical 'axis of the coin column .55. However, when the solencidszpullsthe'plate to the rightas viewed iniFigs. 4-6, the coin aperturein the: plate I514 is disposed in registry with the change dispensing aperture M5 in the bottom plate I544.

The change control plate (:52, at the .coin aperture portion thereof is formed to a vertical thickness dimension substantially equal to the width of three nickels when in vertically stacked relation; and thelcwer change controlplate I54 isprovided-at its ccinaperture portion tocbe of ofaflvertical thickness substantially equal'to that of .asinglenickel. Thereforait will be under stood-that upon actuation of the solenoid S2: only thelower change control plate 154 will be'pivoted so as to displace onenickelaway from the bottom of the stack of .change coins into the dispensing chute 156, whereas whenever the solenoid S3 .is energized itpulls'upcn the coin change control plate I52 so as to cause displacement of three nickels into registry with the change dispensing chute I50.

To prevent loss by the customer of higher Llenominational coins whenever the change column 55 becomes depleted of change, such as may be due to a continuous-run of 10 cent or 25 cent coin deposits without sufiicient replacements of Scent coins, the column 55 is slotted as indicated at I (Fig. 3) to receive the lower end of an actuating arm I82 which is connected to a low change switch Ci. .In this instance theswitch and arm devices are so arranged that as long as coins or more repose in the column 55 the arm I82 will be held by suchcoins in switch-open position; but if the coin supply in the column 5.5 becomes less than somethingin the neighborhood of seven coins the arm I32 is released thereby to move inwardly of the slotted portion of the column 55 and thereby closes the switch C4. The switch C4 is connected in series with a solenoid S 2 (Fig.1) which is normally connected through the switch or in series with the product dispensing control circuit (as will be explained more fully hereinafter) so as to be normally energized thereby.

The armature of the solenoid S l carries an arm I which is so arranged that when the solonoid is de-energized the arm I92 will be thereby moved so that a pair of fingers I92I94 thereon will be moved through apertures in the side plate portion of the coin-slug segregator unit 32 so as toproject into the normal pathways therein of newly deposited 10 cent and 25 cent coins. Thus, if insuificient change is in the column 55 normal passage of newly deposited i0 and 25 cent coins through the segregator unit 32 will be interrupted the slug rejection chute portion 38 of the unit for delivery through supplemental chutes I96I98 and then outief theicoin delivery chute its, for immediate returnto the depositor. Also, as willbe explained more fully hereinafter, a lamp circuit will be automatically energized upon closing of the switch C4 so that a warning signal plate reading deposit nickels only will be illuminated by a si nal prospective customers that only 5 cent coins will be acceptable to the machine. Upon building up a supply of nickels within the column 55 the switch 04 will againrbe opened so that the coin-reject conftrolzarm 1190 xwillf be retracted so as to permit 10 cent and 25 cent coins to be received, and the warning light will be de-energized.

Another switch I99 (Fig. '11) which may be called the merchandise empty switch is preferably mounted in conjunction with the machine control circuits and arranged to be controlled by any suitable means extending into contact with merchandise stored within the vending machine to which the hereinabove described coin changer is an accessory. Thus, the empty switch will be arranged so that its contacts are closed as long as there is merchandise available in the vending machine and in position to be dispensed; but whenever the machine becomes emptied the switch will automatically open, thereby de-energizing the entire dispensing and change making equipment and permitting any deposited coins to be simply diverted from their normal paths by the arm I90, so as to be returned to the depositor. To this end a second coin rejector solenoid S (Fig. 1) is also arranged to have its armature connected to an arm 202 extending into the normal pathway of deposited five cent coins when the circuits are de-energized; the solenoid S5 causing the arm 202 to be retracted away from interference with deposited 5 cent coins when the vending machine is loaded with merchandise to be dispensed.

Referring now to the wiring diagram of Fig. 11, and to the mechanism of the drawing, the operation of the machine when a five cent coin is deposited may be traced as follows: The movable contact of switch Cl is shifted from contact 8 to contact 1 by the coin actuating the lever arm as it passes through the coin chute 49, thus closing contact '5 with contact 3 to complete an impulse circuit causing RI relay to be energized through its normally closed contacts (Rh). Contacts Rh and Rlz of the relay Rl are of the make-before-break type, therefore the normally open contacts Rlz close, locking RI relay in with bus #1 before RI contacts open, preventing a feed-back to a time delay relay R2.

Also upon closing, contacts Rlz energize the locked-in circuit to the vendor machine, including conductors LI, 2, i, 4. An optional vendor energizing circuit is provided from lead 3 only while the Cl switch contacts (#3 and 1) are held closed by the coin. -As long as RI relay is energized Rls contacts remain open, thereby deenergizing S4 and S5 solenoids, causing rejection of any coin inserted into the changer by deflecting the coin into the slug chute 36 and returning it to the customer. After the coin passes by the actuating arm 10 of Cl switch, the switch returns to its normally closed position. Just before the end of each vending machine cycle, the cycle switch C5 is opened by some mechanical means on the vending machine thereby de-energizing R! relay. It is then permitted to reclose.

When a ten cent coin is deposited the cycle of operation set up by the coin is the same as for the five-cent coin except that when C2 switch is activated thereby closing bus 1 with bus 8;

five-cent coin to be ejected from the change column. When a twenty-five cent coin is deposited the cycle is also the same as the five cent cycle of operation except that when C3 switch is closed by passage of a coin, S2 solenoid is thereby energized through bus I to bus 8, and S3 solenoid is then also energized by bus 1 with bus 8 through the normally closed contacts of C2 switch with bus 9. With both solenoids en- S2 solenoid is also thereby energized, causing a 8 erglzed, twenty cents (4 five-cent coins) will be ejected from the change column.

If the change becomes low in the change column C4 contacts open bus IE) and close bus II with bus 5, de-energizing S4 solenoid and thereby causing subsequently deposited ten-cent and twenty-five cent coins to be deflected into the slug chute for return to the customer; and also lighting the low change warning lamp I97 mounted upon the vending machine cabinet.

As long as the machine contains a supply of vendable merchandise the contacts of a merchandise empty switch Ct are adjusted to close bus I and bus 6, energizing S4 and S5 solenoids through the normally closed contacts of Rls. However, if the machine becomes empty of mechandise the switch'Cfi opens bus 1 and bus 6, thereby de-energizing S4 and S5 solenoids thereby causing deflection of any subsequently deposited coin into the slug chute 36, also causing the merchandise empty lamp I93 to light.

A thermal time delay relay R2 is arranged in the system as shown in Fig. 11 to be energized by the aforesaid impulse circuit, so that if any of the coin switches Cl, C2, or C3 should stick, or if a coin becomes wedged against any of the switch arms thereof so that the normally open contacts thereof remain closed for say more than three seconds (or any other predetermined length of time as regulated by the setting of the time delay relay R2), the thermal element of the time delay relay R2 will operate to cause the contacts thereof to close; thereby energizing R2 relay. When R2 relay is energized, the normally closed contacts of R21 are thereby pulled open, thus opening line Ll from bus 1; and R21 contacts are held open by a mechanical latch until the blocked condition of the switch mechanism (that would otherwise cause the vending and change dispensing devices to continuously operate) has been relieved and the relay R2 has been reset manually. All coins newly deposited in the machine while the above described blocked condition exists will be returned to the customer.

What is claimed is:

1. In a coin controlled, electrically operated vending machine: a commodity reservoir; a commodity dispensing means; a coin deposit chute; first switch means located adjacent said chute and having a lever arm extending into said chute, whereby passage of a coin through said chute will momentarily depress said lever arm to actuate said first switch means; electric circuit means connecting said first switch means and said dispensing means to a source of electric power; said electric circuit means including an impulse circuit controlled by said first switch means and a locked-in circuit energized by said impulse circuit, whereby actuation of said switch means will initiate a commodity dispensing operation from said reservoir; second switch means in said electric circuit means and adapted to cut off the supply of electric power to said circuit means;

. and time delay thermal switch means in said impulse circuit and apart from said locked-in circuit and operatively connected to said second switch means; said thermal switch means being operably responsive to continued energization of said impulse circuit as a result of said first switch means being blocked by said lever arm remaining depressed, to operate automatically subsequent to a predetermined delay period to open said second switch means and consequently said circuit means so as to prevent continuous dispensing of commodities from said reservoir.

2. In a coin controlled, electrically o erated vending machine: a commodity reservoir; a commodity dispensing means; a coin change reservoir; a coin change delivery chute; a plurality of solenoid operated selective release means interposed between said coin change reservoir and said coin change delivery chute; a plurality of coin deposit chutes; switch means located adjacent said coin deposit chutes; a plurality of lever arms pivoted to said switch means and extending into each of said coin deposit chutes; electric circuit means connecting said commodity dispensing means, said solenoid operated selective release means and said switch means to each other and to a source of electric power, whereby deposit of a coin in one of said coin deposit chutes will momentarily depress the corresponding lever arm to actuate said switch means and initiate a commodity dispensing and coin change delivery operation; said electric circuit means including an impulse circuit energized during closure of said switch means and a locked-in circuit energized by said impulse circuit; and a time delay, thermal relay means in said impulse circuit and apart from said locked-in circuit and operably responsive to predetermined continued energization of said impulse circuit by reason of said switch 19 means being blocked in closed position by continued depression of a lever arm to automatically open said circuit means and prevent a subsequent dispensing and delivery operation.

JOHNATHON W. HUNSINGER.

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